A Fly Over Ingary
by Splenda
Summary: “It’s such a great outlook of Ingary up here,” Sophie let out, obviously in awe of the spectacular view that was to be had up on the balcony.


Disclaimer: All rights to the Howl's Moving Castle movie belong in the wonderful hands of Hayao Miyazaki and the book to its respectful author who did a wonderful job, Diana Wynne Jones.

A/N: Yes, this is a belated Christmas fic. And if my darling Envy-chan does read this, I liked your first little drabble idea first, so I'll use that one. Takes place after the events of Howl's Moving Castle, combining information from both book and movie.

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Sophie leaned over the railing outside the castle, small balcony overlooking the country of Ingary. The castle was too far to make out any specific details, everything just a blurred mess. There were streaks of color, reds and greens, to celebrate for the holidays. And all the chimneys were puffing out stacks of grey smoke, fires lit, families gathered together. She watched with a small smile resting on her lips as the festivities in the streets continued on. 

Just as a flake of snow came into her line of sight and landed on her nose, a coat was thrown over her shoulders. She turned in surprise to see Howl coming to join her. He shot her a quick smile at her look of questioning.

"It's started to snow. You'll catch a ghastly cold out here with no coat on."

Sophie now saw that there was a soft snow now falling, lightly coating the castle. She wrapped the jacket a little together around herself and turned back to watch the life of Porthaven. Howl dropped down next to her, their shoulders brushing together.

"There's such a great outlook of Ingary up here," Sophie let out, obviously in awe of the spectacular view that was to be had up on the balcony.

Howl shrugged and looked around at it rather dully. "I've never noticed before. Looks like it normally does except covered in a sheet of white."

"But that's what makes it so beautiful. Now that the forests and coated in blankets of snow, the grounds just as well. It's breathtaking…"

The two looked out below them where the ground passed back, white from prior snowfalls. Sophie took it all in, her eyes glittering with unhidden wonder and amazement. She had never been able to see such lovely things when she worked back at the hat shop. This was her first winter _really_ out and to see it all. How anyone could not find this stunning was beyond her. Course then again, it was Howl she was considering.

Distracted by the sights around her, she gasped in sudden shock when she felt a familiar feeling weightlessness. Beneath her the balcony was sinking away and she was floating upwards into the sky. Beside her, Howl gently held her, guiding the both of them through the air. He looked at her with that charming smile that only he could possess.

"Just like before Sophie. Walk."

"But Howl, its freezing cold," Sophie reasoned.

"Then I guess you should just stay close," Howl responded with almost a laugh before he sent them forward, sailing across the skies.

Sophie grabbed a hold of him at the sudden movement. His coat flapped behind them, providing little cover from the winter temperatures. She merely basked in the warm heat radiating from him to keep herself warm. Too worried about keeping close and air 'walking' to notice all around her, she nearly missed it all until leaned close.

"Look around Sophie," he whispered.

She opened her mouth in an unfulfilled remark to shoot back, but left it hang as she did as instructed and looked all around her. They were making their way across the frozen fields high above Ingary, the coast of Porthaven far off in the distance, most likely frozen over. Below them, she watched the ground, the crystals of snow sparkling like a thousand diamonds.

Howl took her everywhere. Through the waste, which were anything but waster-like. The trees were all naked of their cover, now coated in bundles of the fallen fluff. He flew her over the rooftops of Market Chipping in which she recognized all the towns shops. There was the hat shop, and Cesari's in which Lettie worked. The little pastry shop was bustling with people all trying to buy fresh baked holiday goods. They skipped across the housetops of Upper Folding and then scooted around Vale End. Sophie took particular interest in the mansions there, all looking like ice crowns coated in their winter paints.

They made their way across empty fields of snow once more to soar over the skies of Kingsbury. Blue uniformed officials were all lining the royal palace, little care for the fact that their uniforms were getting coating. Making one round circling the palaze's tallest tower, Howl headed to the place most familier to him, Porthaven. Strangia could be seen as they came upon the city, but he ignored the neighboring country and started toward the ground.

Sophie looked around them and then down, a little confused as to why there was no street cobble beneath them. One quick sweep to see and she saw that Howl was landing them off the shore, on ice. He held her tight as they landed softly on the frozen surface.

"Howl, I can't skate," Sophie said quickly. She took a small step only to feel herself falling and she took hold to Howl with a death grip.

He laughed loudly and took her hands into his own and help her up on shaky feet. She slipped and slid but he kept her from falling and slowly, they started to move around in circles. Howl guided them, keeping Sophie upright, preventing her from falling.

They went on like this for quite some time until Sophie felt that she had gathered the hang of things and slid off a few feet from Howl. It only took her a matter of seconds to realize that she had prematurely left him. On a slick patch of ice, her foot zipped forward out from under her and she toppled backwards falling flat on her back.

Howl was quick to her side, helping her up. He scanned her for any obvious injuries before looking up at her face. But what he saw he hadn't expected. She was smiling. No, not smiling. She was laughing. And as the minute passed, she started to laugh harder until she had once more fallen back onto the ice in laughter.

Not sure what the joke was, Howl raised a brow curiously. When she finally took a deep breath and sat herself back up, she shook her head at Howl.

"Let's return home. It's cold." The coat of his had long since fallen off when they had been somewhere over the fields and Sophie was visibly shivering. Howl, still unsure of why she had been laughing, merely smiled and lifted the two of them back up from the ground.

"And Howl," he looked at her. "Thanks. All of Ingary was really quite stunning. Even if you didn't enjoy it."

"You know Sophie," Howl started, the heaping figure of the castle coming into view. "I think I agree with you. It really was quite stunning. So I guess," and at this he briefly met her lips with his own in a small fleeting kiss. "thank you Sophie."

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A/N: Very mushy and OOC. But whatever. It's cute. 


End file.
